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A. W. TAFT. BURGLAR GUARD POR PROTBGTION OP BANK OFFICIALS.

A Patented May 2, 1893*.

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BURGLAR GUARD FOR PROTECTION OP BANK OFFICIALS. No. 496,492. Patented May 2, 1893.

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UNITED STATEs PATENT Erice.

ALANSON W. TAFT, 0F PROVIDENCE, RHODE ISLAND.

BURGLAR-GUARD FOR PROTETION OF'BANK OFFICIALS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 496,492, dated May 2, 1893.

Application iiledNovember 25. 1892. Serial IIa/153.113. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALANsoN W. TAFT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Providence, in the State of Rhode Island, haveinvented anew and useful Improvement in Burglar-Guards for the Protection of Bank Officials, of which the following is a specification.

It has become a matter of frequent occurrence in the frontier sections of the country that banking institutions are robbed during banking hours, by armed men, under threat of assassination; and it is the object of my invention to provide a-bullet proof grating which will serve to protect the bank officials from the threatened shots ofthe burglars, and my invention consists in the combination with a series of metallic blind slats, of meansfor automatically closing the same upon the approach ot danger, and for locking the slats in their closed position.

It also consists in the combination with the series of blind slats, ot' a protective wire netting or screen, which serves to prevent the burglar from interfering with the proper closing of the protecting slats.

In the accompanyingdrawingsz-Fignre l, represents a front view from the lobby,show ing the protectivescreen and the blind slats, a portion of the screen being broken away. Fig. 2, represents a horizontal section taken in the line 2, 2, of Fig. l, showing the blind slats in their closed position. Fig. 8, represents the same with the blind slats in their opened position. Fig. 4, represents a detail end View, showing the blind slat, in its opened position. Fig. 5, represents a vertical section taken in the line 5, 5, of Fig. et, showing the catch bolt for locking the slats in their opened position. Fig. 6, represents the same with the locking bolt disengaged and the slats closed. Fig. 7, represents a vertical section taken in the line '7, 7, of Fig. 1. Fig. 8, represents a detail View showing the closed slats and the bulletproof door for closing the opening in the communicating passage between the bank room and the lobby. Fig. 9, represents the same with the protecting door thrown open, and the slats in their opened position. Fig. 10, represents a detail section showing an enlarged view of the spring-catch for looking the door of the communicating passage.

In the drawings, A represents the lobby, and A the inner room of the bank, and B, B,ase ries of upright metallic blind slats, which are connected to each other for operation by means of the rod C, and the staples a and b, or otherwise.

At one end of the rod C is attached the spiral spring D,the opposite end of the spring being attached to the fixed eye a', and at the other end of the rod C, is formed the notch b', which engages with the end of the sliding catch E to hold the slats in their open position, as shown in Fig. 5, the said catch being thrown into engagement with the notch b', by means of the spiral spring c; and operative connection is made from the catch E, to aconveniently arranged pedal F, or other suitable means for the ready withdrawal ot' the catch E from the notch b, to allow the spring D to instantly close the slats B. When the rod C is withdrawn from the guide openingf, by the action of the spring D which serves to close the slats B, the end got' the said rod will be drawn back, so that the slats will belocked in their closed position by the engagement of the end g, with the shoulder h as shown in Fig. 2, and by rod C, the said rod may be caused to enter the guide openingffor engagement with the catch E as before.

In front of the slats B, is placed the protecting screen G, made of wire cloth or other suitable material, which willserve to prevent a person in the lobby from interfering with the proper closing movement of the slats B.

All money is to be paid out and received through the passage I, formed by a frame J, to the inner end of which is hinged the door K, the said door being provided with the spring actuated locking bolt CZ, which is operated to release the Vdoor by means of the projecting knob e. The door K is to be kept closed, except when receiving or paying out money, and suitable disengaging connection is to be made from all required parts of the room A', with the catch E, as by means of a pedal F, or otherwise,'so that upon suspicion of danger, the bank official whose life is threatened can cause theinstantclosingof the slats to prevent a person in the lobby from firing a shot into the room.

I claim as my inventionpulling upon the knobz on the l. In a burglar guard,tl1e combination with the series of blind-slats, and means for automatically closing the same, ot a locking device for holding the slats in their open position and suitable means for disengaging the said lookin g device, substantially as described.

2. In a burglar guard, the combination with the series of blind-slats and means for automatically closing the same, of a locking device for holding the slats in their open position, suitable means for disengaging the said locking device, and means for automatically locking the slats in their closed position, substantially as described.

3. In a burglar guard,the combination with the series of blind slats, and means for automatically closing the same, a locking device for holding the slats in their open position, and means for disengaging the said locking ALANSON IV. TAFT.

Vitnesse-s:

SOCRATES SCHOLFIELD, MARK A. HEATH. 

